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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26143639">Edible Flowers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleRose13/pseuds/LittleRose13'>LittleRose13</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne &amp; Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Reality, Ball, F/F, F/M, Illness, M/M, Scorbus Fest 2020, Yule Ball, summer ball</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:02:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,008</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26143639</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleRose13/pseuds/LittleRose13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Albus Potter has grown up in the wizarding world, has been around magic all his life and is used to the eccentricities being a teenage wizard can bring. But when he’s struck down with muggle flu, he wakes up in a world that seems to have turned upside down. </p><p>His sister is a bully, Polly Chapman is his friend and, weirdest of all, his best friend Scorpius suddenly seems to be his <i>boyfriend.</i> Albus would quite like to get back to normality in time for the fifth year Summer Ball if that’s not too much to ask. </p><p>My contribution to Scorbus Fest 2020</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Polly Chapman/Yann Fredericks, Scorpius Malfoy/Albus Severus Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>138</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Scorbus Fest 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Edible Flowers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Oh dear, Mr Potter,” Madam Pomfrey said, cocking her head to one side sympathetically and tucking her wand away. “That temperature isn’t a good sign.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus felt like his head weighed about six times more than it should do, like his brain was sinking dully down into his stomach. When he breathed in, it was accompanied by an ominous rattling sensation in his chest and he was both too hot and freezing cold. If he was being honest, the specifics of how he’d ended up in the hospital wing were unclear, his morning a hazy memory of waking up feeling not his best to almost falling asleep in Charms on Scorpius’ shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will he be okay?” Scorpius himself said nervously from beside the infirmary bed Albus didn’t remember getting into. He was twisting his fingertips around and around each other in the way he always did when he was stressed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s muggle flu,” Madam Pomfrey said bluntly. “Have you been taking care of yourself, Mr Potter? Eating properly, getting enough sleep?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus tried to scoff but he was too weak to do more than exhale sharply and hope it got his point across; he hadn’t got what could be described as enough sleep in at least a year. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The stress of OWLs probably doesn’t help,” Scorpius put in with a sympathetic smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus wanted to scoff again at that. He had been the epitome of blissful calm about OWLs compared to Scorpius, who barely had any fingernails left where he’d chewed them all off between exams. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not the only one, Mr Potter. No worries though, I can give you a potion to accelerate the healing process. You’ll sleep it off and be right as rain by tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ooh so he’ll be better in time for the Summer Ball?” Scorpius said excitedly. “Isn’t that great news, Albus?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Madam Pomfrey clicked her teeth disapprovingly. “Usually I wouldn’t allow such an activity so shortly after recovery, but I suppose I can make an exception this once. I know how much all you kids are looking forward to this ball.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t that great news, Albus?” Scorpius said brightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus was not of the opinion that this was great news. He wouldn’t have particularly minded missing the Summer Ball. Dress robes and dancing and not-his-favourite music and the expectation to ask a partner were high on the list of Albus’ least preferred things in this world. The only reason Albus was even going was because Scorpius was looking forward to it so much and Albus didn’t want to disappoint him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be back with a dose of potion for you, Mr Potter.” Madam Pomfrey left and Scorpius lowered himself into the chair beside Albus’ bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Rose and Thea finally agreed to go together,” he said with interest. The two had been dancing around the topic ever since they’d admitted their feelings for each other only a few weeks previously. “Finally,” he added with a laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great, so us two are the only ones going without dates,” Albus replied sulkily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Scorpius exclaimed, with misplaced confidence as far as Albus knew. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus let his sickly mood speak for him as he gave Scorpius a deadpan look. He shakily held up a hand and started counting off on his fingers. “Yann’s taking Polly, obviously, Cole and Ava are going together, Betty Bell and Jeremy Boot, that little group of Hufflepuffs who seem to swap partners every other week and now Thea and Rose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that’s not our </span>
  <em>
    <span>whole</span>
  </em>
  <span> year,” Scorpius reasoned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Name someone else who doesn’t have a date,” Albus countered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Karl Jenkins?” Scorpius offered, seeming to be thinking hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope, he’s taking Sophia Barclay.” Albus sulked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, he did ask her in the end!” Scorpius gushed with soft eyes. “She was telling me at last week’s Prefect meeting that she hoped he would.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus scowled, unable to feel at all happy for Sophia Barclay. “So to sum up, it is in fact just us two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t need </span>
  <em>
    <span>dates</span>
  </em>
  <span> to have a nice time!” Scorpius insisted, as he had several times over the last week as the night of the ball drew closer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus wondered, not for the first time, if there was someone Scorpius would have wanted to ask to the ball. He hadn’t hinted at anything and, if Albus was being honest with himself, he was too scared to ask and have Scorpius tell him all about some secret infatuation he’d been harbouring for goodness knew how long. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even the fictional idea made Albus jealous and he hated himself for being that way. His giant crush on his best friend didn’t seem to be going anywhere and it was getting harder and harder to suppress with each passing inch of Scorpius’ apparently never-ending growth spurt. He was even too scared to tell anyone that he was gay, something he’d known for many months now. Not because he was worried he wouldn’t be accepted by his family or friends, but because in Albus’ own illogica,l stressed out mind, coming out as gay was the equivalent of wearing a large neon sign with the slogan </span>
  <em>
    <span>I fancy Scorpius Malfoy</span>
  </em>
  <span> emblazoned across it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was of course aware of how ridiculous that was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But nobody had asked Albus to the Summer Ball, girl or boy or anyone, so he was planning to continue to keep everything as close to his chest as he always did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus hadn’t realised he was completely spaced out until the door banged open loudly and brought him back to his senses. The inconsiderate door-opener turned out to be his own sister who swept dramatically across to his bed and thrust a glass jar full of some unidentified substance into Scorpius’ hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus, you poor thing!” she said, unnecessarily straightening his bedclothes. “I tried to get James to come with me but he’s been doing all his extra Quidditch sessions for Puddlemere trials, you know? So it’s up to me to represent all Potter siblings until he’s finished.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus loved his sister, he really did, but she was a lot to take when he </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> running a high temperature and aching all over. He gave Scorpius a pleading glance and he nodded, holding up the mystery jar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you bring, Lily?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She abandoned Albus’ bedding, took the jar back from him and held it up to the light; it was a shimmery purple with stuff floating in it. “Moonbow Magenta! It’s a special tea I’ve started making, mainly dandelions and gurdyroot with a bit of lavender and left to charge under the full moon. It’s very healing. We gave some to Geoffrey,  Poppy’s pygmy puff, and he </span>
  <em>
    <span>loved</span>
  </em>
  <span> it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s for </span>
  <em>
    <span>drinking?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Albus blurted out then winced at the overexertion. “I’m not drinking that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lily blinked, hurt. “But me and Poppy made it specially for you.” She hesitated. “Well, actually, we made it as an offering for the fairies who we suspect are visiting Gryffindor tower during the waning moon, but there was </span>
  <em>
    <span>loads</span>
  </em>
  <span> left!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t I warm it up for you to drink after your potion?” Scorpius said tactfully, holding his hand out for the jar of suspicious tea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lily handed it over and tossed her hair behind her. “Make sure he drinks it, Scorp. You can have some too, Moonbow Magenta is very powerful..” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Lily,” he said sincerely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It seemed to take Scorpius by surprise when she hugged him round the middle, holding on for just a second, and he pulled an adorably pleased yet slightly winded face, patting Lily uncertainly on the back as she squeezed him tightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give that to Albus when he’s feeling better,” she said in her usual bossy voice. “See you both tomorrow! I have a special Summer Ball present for you both, don’t let me forget.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Lil,” Albus said quietly, wondering if it made him a truly terrible brother that he was so relieved she was leaving already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bye, Lily,” Scorpius said kindly as she waved and skipped off. He put the Moonbow Magenta down and straightened Albus’ bed covers again with a soft smile. “Your sister is so sweet. She got us a present!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll be one of her homemade flower crowns,” Albus told him. “It’s her go-to present for any occasion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius’ eyes lit up. “I’ve always wanted one of your sister’s flower crowns!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Albus said, noticing Madam Pomfrey was making her way back over to him, “if it’s not that, I’ll get her to make you one anyway.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right then, Mr Potter, I know it’s early but this needs to be taken on an empty stomach.” She transferred the dose of potion to a delivery syringe. “It’s going to make you excessively drowsy but that’s how this potion works. You’ll sleep for twelve hours and wake up healed. Open wide.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus didn’t even have the energy to be interested in how the potion worked. He grimaced and opened his mouth to allow her to deliver the potion; it tasted like burnt tree bark, leaving a charred sensation on his tongue as he swallowed it down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Best to say goodnight now, Mr Malfoy,” she said shortly, sweeping away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How does it feel?” Scorpius asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus just nodded slowly, his body feeling heavier by the second.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want me to bring you anything from the dorm?” Scorpius asked in deep concern. “Maybe your favourite pyjamas? Or your guitar?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus shook his head weakly. He could barely move his achy limbs, let alone play his guitar or change out of the hospital wing pyjamas Madam Pomfrey had already given him. “It’s okay, Scor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius came a bit closer to his bed and dropped his voice to a whisper. “Would you like me to go and get Gryffindor? I can slip him under your pillow.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus thought maybe he was smiling at Scorpius’ suggestion, in fact he’d definitely been about to nod and agree to the sweet idea, but the room was dark and he was on a soft, fluffy cloud, drifting gently across the sky and Gryffindor was at the end of the horizon and Albus was floating up and away...</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>After what felt like no time at all, Albus felt himself starting to wake up and he groaned against the feeling. It was then he realised he no longer had that pounding headache or the heavy feeling in his breathing. Madam Pomfrey’s potion must have worked well. He sat up and fully appreciated how clear his head now was but the hospital wing was pitch black; maybe it was still the middle of the night. Merlin, he was thirsty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he went to reach for the glass of water he knew Madam Pomfrey had left on his bedside table, Albus’ hand met folds of thick fabric that he hadn’t expected to be there. He grabbed randomly at the unexpected barrier, wondering if Madam Pomfrey had put up a curtain around his bed while he was sleeping. A sharp pull to one side tugged the curtain open but instead of the row of infirmary beds he’d been expecting, Albus was faced with the stained glass and rich mahogany of the Slytherin boys’ dormitory. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blinked a few times and shook his head as if to clear his vision. Still the Slytherin dorm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Had Madam Pomfrey moved him in the middle of the night for some reason? Had he sleepwalked? He was in the standard issue hospital wing pyjamas and felt like he was completely better, this just wasn’t where he’d expected to wake up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Although, he’d been pretty out of it by the time he’d taken the potion. Feverish and delirious as a result, maybe Madam Pomfrey had explained she would be moving him back to his own bed and he just couldn’t remember. That would make sense if she wanted him to sleep it off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The clock on his bedside table told him it was later than he had thought, breakfast had already started, but the dorm was almost silent. As if on cue, Albus’ stomach growled loudly. He had no idea if he was supposed to be going back to the hospital wing, but a quick stop at the Great Hall for some breakfast couldn’t hurt, could it? He hadn’t eaten dinner, he was starving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, Albus,” said a familiar voice and Albus turned around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gaped when he saw who it was. “Cole?! You’re up?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His dormmate looked nothing like Albus had ever seen him before. His light brown hair, usually slightly rumpled and wavy, was parted severely to the side and combed down into place. His school tie, normally not much more than an afterthought slung around his neck at the last minute so as to not get a detention, was done up neatly and sat tight up against his fastened, top button, his shirt tucked perfectly into crisply pressed school trousers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you dressed like that?” Albus wracked his brains for any mention of an interview or important presentation or fancy dress party Cole might have had coming up that morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll put my blazer on after breakfast,” he said offhandedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Blazer?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Albus stared at Cole for a second but  he offered no further explanation to the joke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need a favour,” he said primly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You need a favour from me?” Albus frowned at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, and I know you’ll already be rather busy but there’s really no one else I can ask. And I’m sorry it’s last minute but everyone else on the SBC is snowed under with their own responsibilities.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The… SBC?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cole sighed exasperatedly. “The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Summer Ball Committee,</span>
  </em>
  <span> keep up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You aren’t on the ball committee, you said you’d rather bring Melissa Lockhart as your date than </span>
  <em>
    <span>organise the bloody thing,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Albus said suspiciously, narrowing his eyes at his friend’s strange behaviour. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good one.” Cole exhaled amusedly. “Any chance you could pick up the corsage I’ve ordered from Hogsmeade before the ball?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus stared at him in complete disbelief at his words. “How… how do you expect me to leave the castle?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought Prefects were allowed?” he said, raising one eyebrow. “Same privileges as committee members, isn’t it? I specifically campaigned for that, seeing as they didn’t bother to make </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> a Prefect.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The idea of Cole being a Prefect made Albus audibly snort with laughter but he quickly composed himself when Cole frowned. “You want me to ask Scorpius?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No?” Cole said in confusion. “Look if it’s too much trouble I’ll think of someone else to ask, it’s my fault for ordering a special corsage and then triple booking myself with ball preparations.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus didn’t think Cole had ever triple-booked himself with anything in his life, he was usually so chilled out. Something must be getting to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus sighed. “Oh, maybe I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Thea’s going to really love this corsage I picked out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus frowned. “Why are you getting Thea a corsage?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d be a pretty poor boyfriend if I didn’t,” Cole said with a shrug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus was overcome with a specific feeling he’d experienced only once before, and that had been when he and Scorpius had used the time turner and accidentally created an alternate reality in which everything was different. He felt like he was missing vital information that seemed obvious to everyone else. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this one of your weird jokes that I don’t get?” Albus gestured to his clothes. “The outfit, the hair, the ball committee? Thea being your girlfriend?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure, whatever, Albus. Someone’s still half asleep.” He was slipping his arms through the sleeves of a green-edged blazer which Albus had never seen before. Once it was on, he started fixing a shiny badge to the front pocket which looked a bit like a Prefect badge until he removed his hand and Albus could read </span>
  <em>
    <span>Summer Ball Committee - Chair. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus sat on the end of his bed and ran both hands down his face. “What the hell is going on? Why is everything weird?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you’re weird,” Cole said with a shrug. “Look, I didn’t realise you were so nervous about tonight. I’m sorry, I’ll find someone else to collect the corsage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nervous?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah for your thing,” Cole said like that explained anything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus was distracted from pressing further when he noticed Scorpius’ bed was both empty and unmade behind his hangings. “Where’s Scorpius?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The pitch, of course,” Cole said with a shrug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The… pitch?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See you at breakfast,” Cole said with a sweeping exit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down. There would be a logical explanation for all of this, surely. Cole acting nothing like himself, calling Thea his girlfriend, acting as though the Quidditch pitch was an obvious place to find Scorpius… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ow!” Albus exclaimed, after giving himself a sharp pinch in the top of his leg. “Wow, okay, so I’m not dreaming, then.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wandered over to Scorpius’ bed, taking in the unmade covers and pyjamas strewn across the pillow. Scorpius always made his bed. He’d tell anyone who would listen about it being the best way to start the morning because it meant you’d already done something productive before even leaving the room and that, however the rest of the day went, you could always come back to a nicely made bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His worn pyjamas were different too. They weren’t Scorpius’ usual posh, matching Egyptian cotton sets that he had shipped over from some posh boutique. Instead, a faded and soft looking pair of checkered bottoms and a grey t-shirt with a familiar logo on the front. It was a Puddlemere United training camp t-shirt, which Albus knew because James had practically lived in one all of last summer, where he’d worked his arse off every day in the hopes of being offered a place to train with Puddlemere one day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Where had Scorpius got a Puddlemere United training camp t-shirt from and more importantly, why was he </span>
  <em>
    <span>sleeping </span>
  </em>
  <span>in it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something wasn’t right here. It was like the world had shifted around Albus, leaving him the only one aware of the shift. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unless Cole was elaborately pranking him with such dedication that he’d drafted Scorpius into his prank too. In fact, the more Albus considered that idea, the more likely it seemed. Scorpius would have returned from the hospital wing to report that Albus was going to be completely fine and that he’d be coming back to the dorm to sleep and Cole saw an opportunity and convinced Scorpius to help him and set his bed up like that. Cole’s dads both worked in Quidditch, he probably owned that t-shirt already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius was probably sitting down at breakfast, calmly reading his book and waiting for Cole to come and tell him how it had gone so they could have a bit of a laugh at him arriving down there himself in so much confusion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t exactly in character of Scorpius to agree to that, but he sometimes had excitable, reckless streaks, especially since OWLs had ended, and if Cole had caught him at just the right time...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His stomach growled loudly and Albus grinned to himself, deciding to go to breakfast and let them have their laughs. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Very good, you really had me confused for a second there,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> he practised to himself quietly as he walked to breakfast alone, now in his uniform. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The journey from the dungeons up to the Great Hall wasn’t long and Albus had worked out exactly what he would say to Cole and Scorpius just as he was passing the Hufflepuff common room. Then Albus felt his heart stop and almost screamed out loud when someone jumped on his back and shrieked into his ear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albie!” the person cried enthusiastically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus was unable to name a single person in his life who referred to him as </span>
  <em>
    <span>Albie.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Whoever it was swung off his shoulders and spun him round to face them. A blinding smile and lots of very blonde hair filled Albus’ vision and with a jolt he realised it was Polly Chapman. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Polly Chapman in </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hufflepuff</span>
  </em>
  <span> robes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Happy Summer Ball day, Albie!” she said, her eyes bright and filled with a joy Albus wasn’t at all used to seeing aimed in his direction from her. “May it be filled with sunshine and joy!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She waved her wand and conjured a </span>
  <em>
    <span>flower crown</span>
  </em>
  <span> from somewhere, made of daisies and what looked like buttercups. She gently placed it on Albus’ head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus gawped at her. There was absolutely no </span>
  <em>
    <span>way</span>
  </em>
  <span> Cole had convinced Polly Chapman to join in with his prank. He didn’t even think Polly was capable of being this sickly sweet to anyone, especially not him, even for a prank. Surely she wouldn’t agree to dress in someone else’s Hufflepuff robes and skip around making flower crowns just to temporarily make Albus a bit confused? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you can’t wear it later, but just for now,” she said with a smile. Cocking her head to one side, she adjusted the flower crown on Albus’ head. “You look really different without your hair done the normal way.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She seemed to be expecting a response to that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Er, how is my hair normally done?” Albus asked sceptically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, all…” She gestured vaguely around his head. “The way you usually do it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looped her arm through his and started skipping towards the Great Hall, leaving Albus with no choice but to follow. Something was going on, bigger than a fun prank from Cole, something weird that had caused Polly Chapman to apparently morph into his little sister. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And, um, we’re friends, are we?” he asked, unable to think of a more natural way to ask the question. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re so funny, Albie!” she chuckled and gave his arm a squeeze, tucking her head into the crook of his neck for just a second. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What was going on?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Great Hall didn’t seem remarkably different at first glance, the same four long tables and enchanted ceiling lit with morning sun, but something felt strange in the way Albus felt more eyes on him than he was used to. He felt distinctly watched as he followed Polly across the hall and a few people Albus didn’t even know caught his eye and waved politely. It was surreal; usually he went largely unnoticed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was at that moment that Albus silently admitted to himself what he’d known since Cole had left the dorm earlier: this wasn’t just a prank, something incredibly strange was happening either to him or to everyone around him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I might just… take this off for now,” Albus said kindly, easing the flower crown from his hair and allowing it to hang from his fingertips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Polly smiled and nodded and led the way to the Slytherin table, despite the fact she was in Hufflepuff robes, as if this were just a usual thing for them to do. Breakfast itself looked relatively normal, Albus’ favourite brown sugar porridge in its usual place on the table. He reached for the coffee pot and started filling a mug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re drinking </span>
  <em>
    <span>coffee? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Are you feeling okay?” Polly placed the back of her hand against his forehead in concern.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m feeling loads better now and-” Albus started to say but was interrupted by a girlish giggle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Polly, Polly, Polly. Omigod you’ll never </span>
  <em>
    <span>guess </span>
  </em>
  <span>what!” said the giggler, squeezing onto the bench directly beside Polly and waiting expectantly for a reaction.</span>
</p><p><span>If Albus wasn’t already sure there was some strange magical phenomenon going on, this confirmed it. Because he’d never in his life heard </span><em><span>Rose </span></em><span>giggle</span> <span>and he knew for a fact she had strong opinions on people who used muggle slang like </span><em><span>omigod</span></em><span> in the middle of a sentence. But here she was, squashed up against Polly and frantically whispering in her ear. </span></p><p>
  <span>Polly shrieked with laughter and covered her mouth with her hand. “Shut up! Who told you that?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t say, but you have to pretend not to know!” she said shrilly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Er, what’s going on?” Albus put in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t tell you, girl stuff,” Rose said dismissively. “Girl Summer Ball stuff.” She giggled some more. “About partners. And someone who wants to take someone at this table.” More giggles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The morning of the ball is leaving it a bit late, isn’t it?” Albus said, confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose scoffed and turned a judgemental look on him. “Um, it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>romantic. Everyone</span>
  </em>
  <span> is asking someone today. Some of us haven’t got automatic partners from our </span>
  <em>
    <span>relationships.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The look on her face suggested she was talking about one of them and process of elimination along with the look Rose was still giving him led Albus to believe she meant him. But then she turned the look on Polly too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did Rose think he was in a relationship with Polly Chapman? Did </span>
  <em>
    <span>Polly think that? </span>
  </em>
  <span>She was very much in a relationship with Yann Fredericks as far as he and everyone in their year knew.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>And</span>
  </em>
  <span> Jacob Finch-Fletchley asked Kelly Gates at dinner last night!” Rose said dramatically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus! Why didn’t you tell me about that?” Polly looked hurt. “I had to leave dinner early for Charms club.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Er,” Albus faltered, unsure how to answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In Al’s defence, he wasn’t at dinner last night,” Rose said with a snort of laughter. “He said he was in the hospital wing with </span>
  <em>
    <span>the flu,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she mimed air quotes, “but we all know where he really was.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, no, I really was in the hospital wing with the flu,” Albus said, feeling sure about something for the first time since he’d woken up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” Polly said with a smirk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You missed out, Poppy Longbottom brewed this weird tea thing for everyone. I don’t think she meant to make enough for the whole school but it was actually delicious!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus had been about to take a spoonful of porridge but at that he lowered it with a clatter. “The tea she made with my sister? That weird moonbeam fairy tea?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s called Moonbow Magenta,” Polly started speaking but Albus wasn’t listening to the rest of her words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold on, everyone at Hogwarts drank Lily’s tea last night at dinner? Everyone except me because I was in the hospital wing during dinner? Did Scorpius drink it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Relax, Al, I’m sure we can get you some if you’re feeling left out,” Rose said with yet another giggle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A feeling of horror washed over Albus as he realised what must have happened. His little sister had done this, had caused everyone’s personalities to become all... </span>
  <em>
    <span>backwards.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Something in her strange magenta tea had swapped everyone about. How long was this going to last? Surely she didn’t have the power to permanently change an entire school of people? What had been </span>
  <em>
    <span>in</span>
  </em>
  <span> that tea? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It dully occured to Albus that, as likely the only person not affected by this, it would be up to him to fix everyone. He sighed heavily; he really wasn’t in the mood for a rescue mission today. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, Rose squealed again and vaguely batted Polly’s hands away from where they’d been whispering together. “Omigod, he’s coming over.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus took a deep and supposedly calming breath, although no part of him felt calm. He didn’t even know who Rose was talking about but he absolutely was not ready to find out and face another of his classmates with what seemed like a personality transplant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, Polly,” a voice said, hovering somewhere behind Albus. He turned around to see Yann Fredericks in his usual Gryffindor jumper and his tie askew. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Polly rolled her eyes at Rose who gave a disparaging scoff before both girls dissolved into giggles. Albus couldn’t tell what was at all funny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, Yann,” Rose almost sang at him. “And what can we do for you on this fine day?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yann fiddled with his fingertips and looked down at his feet. “I was… wondering if you got my letter, Polly?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Polly tittered. “The one where you asked me to go to the ball with you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yann’s ears turned red. Albus didn’t know him that well at all, they weren’t friends by any means, but he’d always got the impression Yann was too cool to ever be embarrassed, that shame simply slid from him before it could take hold. He’d certainly never seen him blush or get flustered like he was now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes and I know there might be someone else you’d rather go with but I thought I might as well ask and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yann,” Polly said, cutting him off as she got up from the table. “Yann, Yann, Yanny Yann.” She placed an arm around his shoulders and steered him away from their table. “Thanks for the letter, now go and enjoy your breakfast.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that a maybe? Or… or a yes?” Yann said hopefully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your toast is getting cold.” She patted his arm patronisingly and gave him a little nudge back towards his breakfast table and sat down with an accomplished sigh, rubbing her hands together like she’d just ticked something big off a to do list.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re savage, Pol,” Rose laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As if I’d go to the ball with </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yann Fredericks</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” She collapsed with giggles. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What was going on?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay, Albus?” Rose said loudly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course the true answer was a categoric </span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He’d just discovered that literally nothing was behaving as it should be and had absolutely no idea to fix it and help get everyone back to normal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Polly threw Albus an apologetic look and he suddenly wondered whether he was supposed to be more upset that some other boy was showing interest in his apparent girlfriend. Although as Albus had only found out Polly was his girlfriend ten minutes previously, it was difficult to feel too put out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Albie,” she said with a pout. “I know you think I should be nice and just let him take me out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do?” Albus shook his head. “Yes, I do. I do think that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just because you want us to go on double dates with you two,” Polly said with a laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh. Polly didn’t think she was his girlfriend then. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He forced a laugh and hid behind his coffee cup, staring into the depths. Okay, so his sister had drugged the whole school by accident (it was very important Albus added the </span>
  <em>
    <span>by accident</span>
  </em>
  <span> to himself) and it was the fifth year Summer Ball that evening. This was fine, he would just go and find her, work out what was in that tea and… get everything back to normal before the ball.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus started to get up from the table. “I just need to find my sist-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, everyone.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Cole again, in his weird blazer, with Thea of all people hanging off his arm with a simpering expression. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and sort of awkwardly nuzzled into his neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm, hi guys,” she said, not looking at any of them and </span>
  <em>
    <span>nibbling Cole’s earlobe.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You won’t be needing any breakfast, then,” someone said with a laugh, throwing their body down into the seat beside Albus and clapping him on the back. It turned out to be Karl Jenkins. “Morning, idiots.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Omigod, Karl, guess what?” Rose said immediately, shifting up to make room for Cole and Thea without even sparing them a second glance as they somehow managed to sit down without unwinding themselves from each other. It was highly disconcerting to see Rose so unconcerned by Thea’s behaviour. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The moment for Albus to leave and find Lily seemed to have passed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You finally learnt Wingardium Leviosa?” Karl said in feigned shock to Rose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head in annoyance. “Yann asked Polly to the ball!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Am I supposed to be interested?” Karl said, taking a swig of someone else’s pumpkin juice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Polly had gone strangely quiet since Karl arrived at the table, fingering the edge of her cereal bowl and not meeting his eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you want to know what she said?” Rose looked affronted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Rose,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Polly hissed out of the corner of her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karl vaguely looked up from where he was spreading liberal amounts of chocolate spread on his toast. “No?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well who are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> going with then, Karl?” Rose said in frustration. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karl shrugged. “Not sure I can be fucked to go,” he said around a mouthful of toast. “It sounds shite.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus watched him with distaste and Karl looked up and noticed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> sorry, Potter,” he said in a falsely apologetic tone. “How rude of me to say such a thing in front of a Summer Ball enthusiast.” He pretended to tip a hat in Albus’ direction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enthusiast? Sure,” Albus said noncommittally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You haven’t talked about much else, what with your fancy ass custom robes and hairstyle and everything,” Karl laughed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Custom robes? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hairstyle?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Someone’s jealous,” Rose said, pointedly stirring her tea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would I want boring posh robes like our pretty boy Potter here?” He scoffed and ruffled Albus’ hair forcefully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus grimaced. This Moonbow Magenta tea seemed to have not only affected everyone who had consumed it but had caused them to expect a different version of him too. This was very weird magic but he really couldn’t put anything past his sister. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, er, I really need to speak to Lily. See you in a minute.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But before he could get up to leave, the doors of the Great Hall opened dramatically and there was a second when the person in the doorway was silhouetted most impressively, a broom slung over their shoulder. Albus groaned into his hands when he realised it could only be his brother; no one else would make such a dramatic entrance and bring their bloody broomstick to breakfast. Why was James of the opinion that a second where the attention of everyone in the general vicinity was not on him was a second wasted? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked back up from his despair to see James striding confidently down the middle of the Hall, waving casual greetings to several onlookers who called his name from their tables like he thought he was some kind of local celebrity. Only it was then that Albus realised it absolutely wasn’t James. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Scorpius.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Scorpius</span>
  </em>
  <span>, his usually fairly neat hair a mess of rumpled waves, wearing a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Puddlemere United</span>
  </em>
  <span> hoodie. He was holding himself differently to the way Albus was used to seeing, he looked like he didn’t have a care in the world. His grey eyes sparkled as he stopped briefly to quickly chat to a seventh year girl who Albus was fairly sure had once dated James.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, he hadn’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>considered</span>
  </em>
  <span> how Lily’s tea would have affected Scorpius. Cole’s comment about the pitch had been buried deep under the many surprises of that morning but surfaced now as he watched Scorpius striding confidently towards their table, every inch a Quidditch star.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus?” Rose nudged him hard then smirked. “Merlin.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A telling off from Rose for staring wasn’t enough to snap Albus out of it. He couldn’t take his eyes off this Scorpius. He thought he was gorgeous anyway but this was just cruel and unfair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So it was both a fantasy come true and the biggest shock of his life when Scorpius dropped down into the seat beside him and…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>… pressed a </span>
  <em>
    <span>kiss</span>
  </em>
  <span> to his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning, baby,” he said casually, reaching past Albus for the coffee pot and filling a cup. “Did you sleep well?” He looked at Albus and cocked his head to one side. “Your hair’s different. What product did you put in it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus could only gawk at him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Scorpius</span>
  </em>
  <span> was his </span>
  <em>
    <span>boyfriend?</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Al?” Scorpius finished pouring his coffee and nudged him. “I said what product did you put in your hair?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus ran a hand through his hair uncertainly. “Er, nothing. No product.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius put his coffee to one side and leaned forward, resting his hand on Albus’ thigh in a most distracting fashion. He bit his lip and lowered his voice. “I thought you didn’t sleep too well. What’s wrong? Are you nervous?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was the second time he’d been asked if he was nervous. But considering he didn’t know what it was he was expected to be nervous about, Albus just vaguely shook his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius smiled and leaned forward, pressing yet another kiss to Albus’ lips. He was going to need his best friend to stop doing that like it was such a natural thing between them when Albus was at the distinctly unfair advantage of not knowing they were in a relationship until that moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This thought made Albus wonder how long this Scorpius thought they </span>
  <em>
    <span>had </span>
  </em>
  <span>been in a relationship. How did he think this had happened? But before he could even begin to wonder much further, Scorpius lowered his voice seductively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I cannot </span>
  <em>
    <span>wait</span>
  </em>
  <span> to walk into the ball tonight with you on my arm,” he said with a sly grin. Then he frowned, his expression like a confused, wide-eyed puppy. “Or will I be on your arm? Maybe neither of us are on any arms. Really, that’s quite a heteronormative and slightly posessive attitude to have, isn’t it? I just meant I can’t wait to spend the ball with my love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus was thrilled to see that, despite this confident, new exterior, Scorpius was still his usual sweet, rambly, dorky self. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m looking forward to spending it with you too,” Albus replied honestly. It was true, he’d have loved to be taking Scorpius to the ball that night, if only he’d had even half the amount of necessary courage to ask him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A loud retching sound interrupted his thoughts and Albus looked around, wondering if he was being made fun of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Karl, miming vomiting into his breakfast, but his focus was on Thea, who was feeding Cole little bites of toast in a truly disgusting fashion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My sweet, baby bird,” she said, depositing the toast crust into his mouth with a flourish. She tapped him on the tip of the nose and turned on simpering eyes. “Love you, Coley.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love you too, mama bird.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some of us are trying to </span>
  <em>
    <span>eat,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Karl said with a snort. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius caught Albus’ eye with a glowing grin and quickly stole another kiss himself. It was adorable and Albus was most disappointed when someone cleared their throat authoritatively behind them, interrupting entirely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Professor McGonagall stood tapping her foot impatiently. “Mr Malfoy,” she said, one eyebrow arching in appraisal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius grinned sheepishly. “Morning, Professor.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What</span>
  </em>
  <span> have I told you about bringing your broomstick to breakfast?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Try not to knock anything over?” Scorpius offered cheekily. “Sorry, Professor. I just wanted to see Albus.” He drained his mug pointedly. “And get my coffee fix. I’ll take it back to the broomshed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He got up to leave but McGonagall cleared her throat and drew her wand. With a pop, Scorpius’ broomstick shrunk to the size of a pencil, lying neatly on the breakfast table. She picked it up and tucked it into the front pocket of her tartan robes. “You can collect it at the end of the day, Mr Malfoy.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, Professor McGonagall didn’t seem to be any different, nor did she seem surprised to have to tell Scorpius off. That was weird. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She swept away and Scorpius grinned wickedly. “I’ll have it back by lunchtime.” He glanced at his watch - the usual silvery one he normally wore. “I’d better get changed, I’ll see you in Potions, love.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pressed another of those dizzying kisses to Albus’ mouth and stood up from the table, leaving in a flurry of Quidditch t-shirted exuberance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin, he needed to find out what was in that tea.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Lily was nowhere to be seen at breakfast nor had any of his new friendship group been overly interested in helping him find her. Rose was more invested in interrogating Karl about who he was going to the ball with, Polly was trying to get her to stop and Cole and Thea had eyes only for each other. Nobody had even noticed when Albus slipped off on his own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus walked to Potions alone in a daze, the journey from the Great Hall to the dungeons the home of a long, hard think. His sister had accidentally magically altered what felt like the entire school; that was bad. Rose cared more about gossiping than anything else, Thea and Cole were in a relationship and Polly seemed to be harbouring an unrequited crush on the most obnoxious version of Karl Jenkins Albus had ever known; these were all also bad. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Scorpius was his </span>
  <em>
    <span>boyfriend.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Scorpius was wildly confident and self-assured yet still his sweet, dorky self and he </span>
  <em>
    <span>liked</span>
  </em>
  <span> Albus enough to kiss him and take him to the Summer Ball. Albus knew that was bad too - it wasn’t supposed to be this way - but it was also his most secret of daydreams. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And while he knew it was his responsibility to find out what was in that tea and how to fix everyone around him so they could go back to being their normal selves, maybe he could also do some research into how tea-Scorpius thought they’d gotten together and take his findings back to the real world. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shhhh!” a sudden loud voice hissed from around the corner, followed by a high-pitched squealing sound. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus was already going in that direction and before he had time to even consider whether this was something he should avoid at all costs, he’d stepped around the corner to find his sister (of course it was her) with a friend and the distinct feeling of rule breaking heavy in the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Shit, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Lily, it’s your brother!” the friend said urgently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So?” Lily, who was holding her wand aloft said coolly. “I’d like to see him try and give me detention.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lily?” Albus stared at her in total confusion. “What are you doing now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took a step to the side and Albus realised the source of the high-pitched squealing was coming from a very small, scared-looking purple pygmy puff. It had both eyes fixed firmly on Lily’s wand warily and was wrenching itself away from her, but its feet appeared to be frozen into place on the dungeon corridor floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Knowing Lily, this was part of another one of her demonstrations in protest of the animal-derived ingredients she was required to use in Potions, but he couldn’t quite understand why she was pointing her wand </span>
  <em>
    <span>at</span>
  </em>
  <span> the animal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing with that pygmy puff?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing,” Lily said, tossing her hair and snorting with laughter as she caught the eye of the boy who was with her. Albus looked at him and he quickly shoved his hand behind his back, concealing something. The boy didn’t seem to be very aware of his own proportions because, by shoving the item further behind his back, all he did was make it more visible on the other side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus gawked when he saw what it was. “Is that a </span>
  <em>
    <span>firework? </span>
  </em>
  <span>What are you doing with a pygmy puff and a firework, Lily?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My Care of Magical Creatures homework,” she said with more laughter. “A study into what happens when you feed fireworks to Poppy Longbottom’s pygmy puff. It’s a real project, ask Professor Hagrid if you don’t believe me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s Poppy’s?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Serves her right for thinking she’s so perfect all the time,” Lily muttered mutinously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus stared at her in appalled shock and reached out to grab the pygmy puff, who gratefully nuzzled into his palm. “Why are you being so… horrible?” he asked lamely, for lack of a better word. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Why are you being so horrible?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Lily imitated cruelly. “Why do you always have to ruin everything, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Albus?”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And then he realised what was going on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lily, what’s in your Moonbow Magenta? All the ingredients, what exactly is in it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My </span>
  <em>
    <span>what?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she scoffed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That tea you made me last night, the one for the fairies.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fairies?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Albus, I’m not five years old.” Lily caught her friend’s eye and they both laughed unkindly. “That sounds more like the kind of wet rubbish </span>
  <em>
    <span>Poppy</span>
  </em>
  <span> would like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you drank it, you must have done, last night,” Albus said desperately. “Did you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bored,” Lily said, rolling her eyes. She stuck her hand out. “Now give me back Geoffrey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Albus clutched the pygmy puff close to him protectively and it squeaked gratefully. “That firework’ll kill him!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh, fine,” she said dramatically. “Come on, let’s go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, she was gone, the firework laying pathetically on the floor and Geoffrey the pygmy puff chirping feebly in Albus’ hand. Albus glanced around him but nobody else was there. He uncertainly dropped the pygmy puff into the front pocket of his robes and scooped the firework up, checking it definitely hadn’t been lit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t have time to take you back before Potions,” Albus explained to Geoffrey, “so just keep quiet in there, okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Geoffrey purred in agreement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tucked the firework into his bag and set off for the usual Potions classroom, wondering on the way if he might be able to find any information about Moonbow Magenta in one of the textbooks in the classroom. Maybe one of the more obscure ones on the shelves at the back, he could probably convince Professor Jacobs he was doing some personal research. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius was waiting outside the classroom in his uniform now, his top button loose and his tie sitting casually beneath it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, love. I thought you’d make it here before me,” he asked in mild concern, reaching for Albus’ hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Er, I bumped into my sister, got held up,” he tried to explain, but focusing on his speech was difficult because Scorpius was tracing little circles over the back of his hand with his thumb and it was rather distracting how nice it felt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I know you two don’t exactly see eye to eye.” Scorpius nodded in sympathetic understanding but then his expression suddenly changed to one of intrigued excitement. “Who’s this?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leant forward and Albus realised Geoffrey was peeking out of his pocket. “That’s Geoffrey, he’s lost,” Albus explained as Scorpius picked him up in delight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s so cute!” Scorpius was eye to eye with Geoffrey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can look after him in Potions if you want, until I can get him back to his owner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius nodded excitedly and started tucking Geoffrey into his own pocket. He looked so excited to be in charge of the little animal so Albus decided he would just take him back at breaktime. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He really was building up quite the to-do list this morning: go to Potions, return Geoffrey to Poppy Longbottom, discover what had turned everyone into alternative versions of themselves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Professor Jacobs let the fifth years in and Albus took his lead from Scorpius, in case the seating arrangements were different. But he went straight to their usual seats together on the right hand side of the classroom, annoyingly far away from the bookshelf. Once all the fifth years were in their seats, Professor Jacobs started explaining that they were having a go at some NEWT level potioning today, now that their OWL exam was out of the way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she spoke, it occurred to Albus that she seemed like her usual self, in the same way Professor McGonagall had other than reprimanding Scorpius for his breakfast broomstick. Nothing about his Potions teacher appeared to be out of the ordinary at first glance, but if she, like Albus, also hadn’t drank the tea, why hadn’t she noticed how different everyone was?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus, perhaps you can explain today’s task to the class?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus cringed. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>hated</span>
  </em>
  <span> speaking in front of the entire class, his professors hardly ever asked him to do it because it was so obvious how much displeasure it caused him. But Professor Jacobs was nodding encouragingly and waiting for him to speak like it was a standard part of one of her lessons for Albus to contribute. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, that explained it. It probably </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> standard for the version of him people seemed to expect today. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus?” Professor Jacobs sounded confused why he hadn’t said anything yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re, er, exploring-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And as he opened his mouth to speak, a sort of dull realisation washed over Albus’ thoughts. Everyone thought he was someone entirely different, there was a certain anonymity that came with that. Nothing was as it should be so he had nothing to lose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cleared his throat. “We’re distilling the potion samples you’ve given us and using one of these three ingredient identification methods to complete a potioneer’s table for each one.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Albus,” she said contentedly, turning to the blackboard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus felt a little bubble of something swell in his stomach and it took him a second to realise it was pride. He felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>proud </span>
  </em>
  <span>of himself </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Professor Jacobs continued talking, Albus flinched slightly when he felt something unexpectedly touch his hand, but it turned out to be Scorpius taking it gently in his and pulling it towards him on the desk they were sharing. His action was natural, he didn’t even look at Albus as he turned his arm over and started absent-mindedly doodling over the inside of his forearm with a self-inking quill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus watched him curiously as he inked shapes all over his arm. Because this was something Albus did all the time, in the world he was used to, anyway; here it appeared to be Scorpius’ thing. It had started by accident, in History of Magic one day, when Albus’ mind had wandered and he’d filled the corner of his parchment and Scorpius’ forearm was just lying there, all pale and </span>
  <em>
    <span>waiting</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be doodled on. He’d glanced at him for permission and started gently tracing lines and arrows and dots over his wrist. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Barely a week later, when Albus had been stressing about the extremely tricky Transfiguration coursework being outlined, Scorpius had offered his arm for some relaxing doodling. Albus loved that it meant he got to hold Scorpius’ hand for just a second as he positioned his hand in just the right place. He also knew how pathetic that really was of him and his desperate little crush on his best friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, that’s not very neat,” Scorpius said, withdrawing the quill as Professor Jacobs set them off on the potion task. “I’ll help you get it off before the Ball.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus glanced at the web of designs Scorpius had carefully inked across his forearm. “Maybe I’ll keep it, sort of like a cool tattoo.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius beamed. “Will you do one for me?” He looked around at where the rest of the class had started potioning and grinned sheepishly. “Maybe in Charms later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you want,” Albus said with a shrug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember how, before we got together and I didn’t know how to tell you I fancied you,” Scorpius chatted, lighting the cauldron stood between them, “I used to ask you to draw on my arm all the time so we could hold hands for a second.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus blinked. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>That’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> why you let me draw on your arm all the time?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius pretended to be hurt. “We have an agreement, you aren’t allowed to ever bring up my abysmal attempts at flirting.” He frowned most adorably and crinkled his nose. “Oh, hold on, it was me who brought that one up. I broke my own agreement.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What else did you do as an attempt at flirting?” Albus asked with intrigue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Scorpius could even begin to answer (and he looked like he was going to, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>agreement</span>
  </em>
  <span> of thirty seconds ago already forgotten about), Professor Jacobs peered between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scorpius, why do you have a pygmy puff in your pocket?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius laughed nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a quick explanation and Professor Jacobs sending for Poppy Longbottom to please come and collect her pygmy puff from her office at breaktime, she left them to get on with the task and Albus got to work stoking the fire beneath their cauldron. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once it was warming nicely, Scorpius bottled a small vial of the bubbling potion and held it up to the light. “This is almost the exact green of your eyes,” he said sweetly, moving the vial so it was beside Albus’ cheekbone. “See?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well no, I can’t see but I’ll take your word for it,” Albus chuckled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius was looking at him with such a loving expression and Albus simply didn’t know what to do with it. He felt his cheeks redden and he wanted to hide his face away but he also couldn’t tear his eyes from the sight of Scorpius looking at him in a way he’d only ever dreamed about before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merlin, I can’t wait for tonight,” Scorpius muttered and broke his gaze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus pointedly busied himself with measuring out the next ingredient.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Professor Jacobs came by to see how they were getting on, Albus saw an opportunity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Professor, have you heard of something called </span>
  <em>
    <span>Moonbow Magenta?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> he asked, hoping it sounded like a casual question of interest more than anything else. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that a potion?” She didn’t give away any signs of immediate recognition.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s sort of a magically brewed tea, my sister has been making it,” he explained. “I think, er, I think she might have made too much.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Professor Jacobs looked like she was on the verge of saying something when a loud shriek echoed across the classroom and she whirled round to see Rose standing in front of a small fire where her cauldron had once been, staring at it in horror and flapping a textbook around as if that might put the fire out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Professor Jacobs hurried off immediately and Albus didn’t get a chance to ask her anything more for the rest of the lesson. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the walk from the castle to the greenhouses for Herbology, Scorpius took hold of his hand and let it casually swing between them. It felt nice, natural. In fact it was the only thing which felt at all right today, holding Scorpius’ hand. Lily was practically a monster and Cole was insufferable and James was…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus frowned to himself. “Where’s my brother?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius stopped swinging their hands and frowned. “Your… brother?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” Albus asked in a small voice. “My brother, James? I do still have a brother, don’t I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Of course you do. But, Al, what are you talking about?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus just looked at him blankly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius was still frowning. “Sorry, I didn’t realise the two of you were on speaking terms again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Speaking terms? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Albus felt a strange jolt in his stomach at those words. He and James were entirely different, it was true, but they’d never fallen out so badly they’d refused to speak to each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We, er, I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You never want to talk about that.” Scorpius’ expression softened. “Have you been talking to him?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, a bit,” Albus lied, playing with the back of his hair as they arrived at Greenhouse Two.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’s he coping?” Scorpius asked sympathetically. “Is he doing better these days?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Er, a bit,” Albus said noncommittally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I’m prying,” Scorpius said, shaking his head and blushing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay! I don’t mind,” Albus said quickly. It was true that he wouldn’t have minded confiding in Scorpius about any tension with his brother had he known what the tension was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure it’s a bit easier for him now OWLs are over and he can join in with his year group again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean NEWTs?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do I? The exams he was retaking.” Scorpius shrugged. “Perhaps he’ll be a bit happier once he’s left school.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On that bombshell, they arrived at Greenhouse Two where Professor Longbottom was greeting them at the door as jovially as he usually did. Albus walked in in a bit of a daze, Scorpius’ words ringing in his ears. James was unhappy in school and retaking exams? The thought made Albus feel distinctly uncomfortable and all he could think about while Professor Longbottom spoke was how he needed to find out what was in that tea and rectify things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were pruning wild roses in the soft, calming atmosphere of the greenhouse but Albus felt anything but calm. He caught his teacher’s eye as he passed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Professor Longbottom, have you heard of Moonbow Magenta?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you keep asking teachers that?” Scorpius hissed and Albus softly kicked him under the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, of course,” Professor Longbottom tapped his chin in thought. “Used for summoning fae, or at least attracting them to an open space. It’s the flutterby petals that do it, it can produce some beautiful results. Popular around Christmas time for those of us who still collect our own fairy lights. I once used it in a fertiliser mix for some dirigible plums but I don’t remember it doing much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You put it in the soil?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, just a sprinkling. I expect I was too frugal with it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Professor, what would happen if you drank it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He visibly shuddered. “I wouldn’t like to imagine, it’s strong stuff. I don’t recommend ingesting it at all.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And if someone were to ingest it, by accident, how would you go about… undoing that?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s see, the main ingredient is gurdyroot so you’d probably want to counter with a bit of fluxweed, the flowers. Freshly picked, mind you, to balance the lunar charge.” Professor Longbottom narrowed his eyes. “Why do you ask?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m doing a project for Potions,” Albus lied effortlessly, hoping the version of himself Neville knew was just as much of a Potions nerd. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, fresh fluxweed and citrus should do it,” Professor Longbottom nodded. “I’ve got a lovely winter fluxweed plant growing in Greenhouse Three, actually.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Professor, that really helps me with my project.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius looked at him strangely. “What project?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just some research I’m doing in my spare time,” Albus shrugged with as much nonchalant confidence as he could. “Pass me those secateurs, please.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the lesson was over and they were filing out of the greenhouse, Albus made to go in the direction of Greenhouse Three; it would probably be empty for breaktime and he’d likely be able to steal some fluxweed without anyone noticing. But Scorpius was waiting for him and looked confused when Albus didn’t immediately follow him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you going?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just need to go to Greenh-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Friday,” Scorpius said like that explained everything. “Our Friday breaktime walk, around the lake, we can’t lose our streak.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held his hand out invitingly and jerked his head in the direction of the lake, his eyes wide and expectant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus could hardly say </span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span> to that offer. He smiled and accepted Scorpius’ hand, once again revelling in the feeling of it within his. Their fingers laced together and he found himself giving Scorpius’ hand a gentle squeeze; until that day, Albus had never held hands with anyone but Scorpius seemed to like it because he gave a wicked little grin and tugged Albus towards the lake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Usually this is my favourite part of Fridays,” Scorpius said sweetly as they made their way to the trail leading around the edge of the lake. “But this week I think the ball might just win that title.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed happily and leaned over to press a quick kiss to the corner of Albus’ mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love it when you do that,” Albus said without really thinking. His brain was temporarily void of all thoughts that weren’t about Scorpius kissing him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius grinned and leant over to do it again and Albus couldn’t help catching his lips with his own this time, apparently surprising Scorpius judging by the soft gasp which disappeared against Albus’ lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They pulled apart, keeping their gazes locked and set off walking hand in hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, us going to the ball together tonight…?” Albus started tentatively, really not having much clue where he was going to go with this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius beamed, his eyes soft and wide. “I’m so excited.” He almost whispered he said the words with such reverence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If real Scorpius was looking forward to the ball, it was nothing on this Quidditch-playing, extremely popular, cool Scorpius. Albus wondered if real Scorpius was actually this excited too but didn’t know how to express it with the confidence of this Scorpius. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember when we agreed to go together?” Albus said, waiting for Scorpius to react. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, yeah,” Scorpius said with a reminiscent expression, gazing up at the blossoms on a nearby tree. “I mean, we were always going to go together, of course, but that poem you wrote was so sweet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus froze in the middle of gently swinging Scorpius’ hand back and forth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I know it was song lyrics, but it sounded like a poem when you read it to me,” Scorpius amended with a shrug. “You know it’s my favourite thing you’ve even given to me since we got together.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus didn’t really know what to say to that. He felt a bit weak at the knees as a result of the soft, loving expression Scorpius was aiming his way; he didn’t think anyone had ever looked at him like that before and he could therefore hardly be expected to know how to react. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius leaned over and dropped his voice. “I’m secretly hoping I’m going to hear the finished version of the song tonight.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want me to sing for you?” Albus asked, taken aback at yet another facet of this version of himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can sing just for me whenever you like,” Scorpius said cryptically, close up to Albus’ side and speaking directly into his ear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmmhmm, I love the sound of your voice,” Scorpus said in a low voice that made Albus extremely glad they were alone. “And the way you-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius suddenly pulled back, flustered, and flattened his hair into place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Er, sorry, didn’t see you there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus turned round to see who he was talking to and while his initial reaction was one of surprise, he stopped as he sort of dully acknowledged that he should have been expecting this at some point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, James,” Scorpius said with a small wave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus’ brother was sitting against a tree stump, his auburn hair crammed into a dark grey beanie and a black hoodie covering his school uniform. Something glinted in his ear and his eyes were rimmed with dark shadow, his face was passive and lacking the usual over animation James tended to display and he had one leg stuck out in front and one knee close to his chest, propping up a leather bound book. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>James nodded in recognition and went back to his book, determinedly staring at the pages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, hello,” Albus said uncertainly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>James snapped the book closed and sighed, rolling his eyes. “Leave it, Al,” he said quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leave… what?” Albus looked at Scorpius in confusion but he was biting his lip and watching James in a worried sort of way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I wasn’t in class this morning, big deal, write to Mum and Dad again, I don’t actually care.” He pointedly flipped the pages of his book open and swapped legs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you here alone?” Scorpius asked him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>was.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> James rolled his eyes again and looked up from the book. “What do you want?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing, we’re just walking and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James didn’t even seem to be listening and he pulled his beanie from his head, rubbing at the top of his hair, which fell to his shoulders. Albus stared at it; he’d never seen his brother with anything other than a short back and sides, and then it occurred to him how strange it was for Lily’s tea to have altered James’ physical appearance. He glanced over at Scorpius’ hair but it looked much the same, a bit messier than he was used to seeing, but that was all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you staring at?” James said bluntly. “Haven’t you got some </span>
  <em>
    <span>extra-curricular</span>
  </em>
  <span> activity to get to, golden boy?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the Summer Ball tonight,” Scorpius said, sounding a bit offended. “And Albus is-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How interesting,” James interrupted in a monotone, going straight back to his book. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius looked at Albus with a sort of </span>
  <em>
    <span>I tried </span>
  </em>
  <span>expression before sighing and joining their hands again to walk off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, love. I know you wish he would show more interest. I hate that your own brother is like that to you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was like seeing James in such a way had brought him back to his senses. He needed to put everyone right and he couldn’t do that by strolling romantically around the lake with Scorpius. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus swallowed hard. “Scorpius, I have to tell you something, and you’re going to think I’m mad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius slowed down and fixed Albus with a stare. “Is something wrong?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do I seem… different today? To you, I mean.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius looked him up and down. “No, same gorgeous eyes, you didn’t do your hair this morning but apart from that you don’t seem different. Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is going to sound a bit weird, but I think your personality has been altered. Not just yours, everyone’s. All of you think you’re different people and you all think I’m someone else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I woke up this morning expecting everything to be as normal but this,” he gestured around him, “the way everyone is, isn’t normal.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you mean?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, James, back there. He’s supposed to be this happy go lucky, personable, sometimes annoying Quidditch star! He teases me a lot and always has a grin on his face and he’s really popular. And my sister! She loves animals and fairies and astrology and she always has random crystals and bits of dried plant in her pockets, not fireworks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius was eyeing him warily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Thea and Rose! They’re dating each other, except Rose doesn’t care about gossip and Thea isn’t so much of a drip. Polly </span>
  <em>
    <span>hates</span>
  </em>
  <span> me!” He took a deep breath. “And… and you’re not supposed to be my boyfriend.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius’ eyes widened. “Albus, are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>breaking up</span>
  </em>
  <span> with me?” he choked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Albus said quickly. “I’m saying we aren’t usually together. I went to bed last night and you were just my best friend and I woke up this morning and you think you’re my boyfriend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because my… personality has been altered?” Scorpius raised one eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the thing! It’s Lily’s tea, well, it’s not Lily’s anymore, but it was! The Moonbow Magenta tea, everyone drank it last night, I didn’t because I was in the hospital wing. It’s done something to you all!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus, that’s ridiculous. We’ve been together for </span>
  <em>
    <span>months</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Since February when I kissed you, it was right over there by that tree!” He spun Albus around and pointed at a tree in the distance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, that’s the tea talking. Scorpius, I’m telling you, I don’t have a single memory of this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius blinked, hurt. “But you think it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> personality that’s been altered? Sounds like it’s you who’s not thinking straight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scorpius, I’m sorry, I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You asked me to the ball tonight, do you remember that? It was the most… special moment.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus bit his lip, his silence answering the question. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right.” Scorpius nodded in determination. “Right then, okay. I see.” His eyes started to well up with tears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scorpius-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine, Al. Just work out what you’re trying to say then come and find me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that he had hurried off into the distance, the faint sound of a sob in his wake. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Albus had assumed he’d find Scorpius in History of Magic after he traipsed moodily back up to the castle. Scorpius vehemently disagreed with skipping lessons for any reason and he especially wouldn’t want to miss his favourite subject, no matter how upset he was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So it was a wonderful reminder that nothing was as it should be when Scorpius failed to turn up to History of Magic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus sat there anxiously alternating between looking up at any slight noise which could have been the classroom door opening and stewing in his own thoughts over how this had all gone so wrong. He tried to see it from Scorpius’ point of view, and he could in a way: as far as Scorpius was concerned, his boyfriend of several months had just denied any existence of their relationship ever happening. He could see why Scorpius had been so hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Albus had failed to mention that waking up to find Scorpius was his boyfriend was a bit of a dream come true for him and that, as weird as it sounded to suggest it was all down to a magical tea, it was just about the only thing in his day which made sense. And that was what he needed to go and tell Scorpius. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ow!” A dull thwack accompanied something hitting the back of Albus’ head. He rubbed at the spot and looked down to see a ball of parchment behind his chair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus followed its trajectory back to a sniggering Karl who gestured to the parchment ball. Confused, Albus picked it up and unfurled it on his desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>guess who now has three ball dates</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The words accompanied a cartoon drawing of Karl himself with over exaggerated muscles and a crown on his head with the words </span>
  <em>
    <span>King Karl.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Stick figure, simpering girls stood around him with love hearts in their eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus looked up from the parchment in disgust and turned to Karl with an expression of what he hoped conveyed pure judgement. He had no idea if he could get away with that with this Karl, maybe he was setting himself up for a punch, it was hard to tell when all Karl did was laugh silently and mouth </span>
  <em>
    <span>turn it over.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Rolling his eyes heavily, Albus did what he said, and found more writing: </span>
  <em>
    <span>thinking about making it one from each house, Polly would be an easy add, for bants, she’d do anything for me.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus felt a flash of annoyance at that. He’d seen the way Polly looked at Karl and he was right, she would do anything for him if he asked, but taking advantage of that felt so horribly wrong to Albus. He hoped Karl wasn’t telling him this because he expected Albus to agree it was a great plan and even worse, he required some kind of help convincing Polly </span>
  <em>
    <span>for bants.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Karl was waiting expectantly but Albus just shook his head. With a frown, Karl cocked his head to one side and raised his eyebrows, clearly saying </span>
  <em>
    <span>you don’t think it’s a good idea?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Albus shook his head more firmly and mouthed </span>
  <em>
    <span>no.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Karl rolled his eyes, mimed yawning then stuck his middle finger up at Albus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Affronted, Albus turned back to the front of the class and refused to look at him for the rest of the lesson.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the crowds of students shunted him down the narrow corridor towards Charms, Albus was on the lookout for a flash of blond hair. Scorpius was still visibly absent and Albus needed to go and fix things with him before he could even think about hatching some sort of plan with Neville’s fluxweed tip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albie, guess what?” Polly appeared from somewhere and looped her arm through his instantly. “You know how I didn’t have a partner for the ball?” She was positively glowing with happiness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, yes,” Albus said with a sickening feeling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Karl </span>
  </em>
  <span>just asked me!” She squeezed him to her in a sort of side hug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did he really?” Albus tried to sound mildly interested but Karl himself was only a few people away in the corridor and he caught Albus’ eye with a wicked grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Polly was still gushing away and Albus tuned back into her words. “... and he wants me to be his partner. And I said I thought he was already going with someone but he said he called it off with her when he heard I wasn’t going with anyone. Isn’t that sweet?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um.” It was hard to answer when Karl was holding up four fingers triumphantly behind Polly’s back before bobbing away somewhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albie? I said </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t that sweet?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re definitely not going with Yann, then,” he said with a forced chuckle, not wanting to say too much without carefully thinking about it first. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No way!” Polly laughed loudly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They arrived to Charms but still there was no sign of Scorpius. Albus told Polly he’d meet her inside the classroom and approached Cole, who was standing away from the classroom door with his arms around Thea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry to interrupt,” he said uncertainly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cole didn’t adjust his posture much but just glanced coolly over Thea’s shoulder at Albus. “Yes?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t know where Scorpius might be, do you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah, he wasn’t in History, was he. I dunno, I would have assumed you’d know where he was to be honest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We sort of… argued,” Albus admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ohh.” Cole’s expression cleared. “He’ll be on the pitch, then. Yikes, he’s screwed if McGonagall catches him missing lessons again.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of… of course,” Albus said like this had just slipped his mind and he turned to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>going?” Cole demanded. “You can’t skip Charms, you’re a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Prefect</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus blinked at him, having no response to that. Quite clearly he was leaving to go and find Scorpius which didn’t feel necessary to explain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Well,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Cole said in a pleased sort of voice, “that won’t look great on your record when it comes time to choose Head Boy, will it.” He smiled at Thea smugly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll live,” Albus said distractedly, turning to leave again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t cover for you when Flitwick asks!” Cole called after him but Albus ignored his words and barrelled towards the nearest staircase as fast as he could. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus had never wanted to be a Prefect. It came as no surprise and wasn’t even slightly disappointing when Scorpius was awarded the title for their dorm; Rose, too, was made a Prefect for Gryffindor (which her dad couldn’t shut up about at James’ seventeenth birthday barbecue). James got a badge when he was a fifth year and was now Head Boy which was frankly baffling given his penchant for pulling pranks, but he had the teachers wrapped around his little finger he was so bloody charming. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Usually, anyway, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Albus thought to himself as he remembered the strange, long-haired, moody James they’d met outside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The point was that Albus couldn’t care less about being a Prefect, he wasn’t supposed to be one anyway, but he was also absolutely prepared to use his new Prefect status to lie through his teeth if any teachers caught him running from the castle and across the grounds when he was supposed to be in Charms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Quidditch pitch was technically out of bounds during the day but Albus knew for a fact that sixth and seventh years snuck in in their free periods to mess about. It was very easy to do, there were never teachers around at this time of day and the first years had long since finished their flying lessons for the year. The changing rooms which served as a walkway through to the pitch itself were deserted, save for one solitary Slytherin robe hanging on a hook with a matching tie slung over the top. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus had to take a deep breath before he was ready to step out onto the pitch, wary of facing the hurt he’d caused his best friend. But a few tentative steps took him onto the sandy ground, one single figure swooping about above him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course it was Scorpius, his bright white school shirt untucked and loosely buttoned halfway as he swerved in furious laps around the top of the pitch. It took Albus a second to spot that he was following a snitch, which wasn’t giving him an easy ride at all as it looped about all over the place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But wow this Scorpius could </span>
  <em>
    <span>fly. </span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He expertly maneuvered himself with an elegance Albus wasn’t all that used to seeing from his best friend, even this version of him. On the ground he was all limb and, while he certainly had more poise than Albus did, he was also rather gangly in the way a baby giraffe yet to grow into themselves would be. Albus tried to think of the last time he’d seen his Scorpius on a broom; it had probably been the previous summer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus wasn’t sure what to do now. Scorpius had eyes only for the snitch and hadn’t seen him arrive. Just as he was vaguely wondering if he’d have to borrow a broom and fly up there himself, Scorpius turned to dive for the snitch, caught it and zoomed back towards the ground, stepping expertly off his broomstick when he was close enough to the sand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does McGonagall know I’m not in lessons?” he said by way of a greeting, pocketing the snitch and shouldering his broom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not as far as I know,” Albus offered with a shrug. “You got your broom back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’d already put it back in the broomshed for me, told you I’d have it back by lunchtime.” He didn’t laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sulking,” Scorpius said simply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. Well I came to apologise.” Albus crossed his fingers behind his back. “I’m really, really sorry for upsetting you, Scorpius.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius eyed him strangely and took the snitch back out of his pocket, fiddling with the wings. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know what I said sounds unbelievable and I explained it all wrong.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That my </span>
  <em>
    <span>personality has been altered and you have no memory of our relationship?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Scorpius said without expression. It might have sounded sarcastic coming from someone else but Scorpius’ wide, genuine eyes made his tone clear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scor, what I said before… I should have mentioned that this is all I’ve wanted for ages. Us, being together like this, in a relationship. It’s practically a dream come true for me today to have woken up and found you as my boyfriend, as wild as that sounds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Scorpius blinked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And this day has been a mess so far, nothing makes sense to me and everyone is acting so differently to their usual selves but this,” he gestured back and forth between them, “I understand this. When I’m with you it feels right. I’ve liked you for such a long time and I’ve been reluctant to say anything in case I ruined our friendship, but hiding my feelings is getting harder and harder. ”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius smiled widely. “That’s what you said to me, when we first got together, those are the words you said.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean it.” Albus shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius stared at him evenly and Albus let silence fall between them, hoping he’d said enough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What am I like, then?” Scorpius said in a quiet voice. “Without this personality altering tea. What’s my personality supposed to be?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus beamed, something he really didn’t find himself doing very often. “You’re kind, to absolutely everyone, you’re just so unwaveringly kind. And not everyone appreciates that as much as they should, and I don’t think you care about having endless friends but you also wish they would accept you for who you are the way you accept yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius fidgeted with the snitch as a small smile crept over his face. “I’m not very popular, then.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not in the way you are here,” Albus admitted. “But everyone who knows you likes you. You don’t play Quidditch but you like to fly. Oh, and you’re an enormous geek, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>love</span>
  </em>
  <span> reading and learning new things and History of Magic is your favourite subject and in your spare time you like to work on your quillmanship.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius laughed at that. “History of Magic is my favourite?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bathilda Bagshot is your idol,” Albus added. “We, er, sort of met her once, me and you. You were thrilled.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We </span>
  <em>
    <span>met</span>
  </em>
  <span> her?” Scorpius asked in amazement. “But she died in 1997?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus had assumed this version of Scorpius didn’t know anything about their fourth year adventure but it was nice to have the confirmation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a long story,” Albus said. “Anyway, you’re a Prefect and Professor McGonagall has just asked you to tutor some third years next year.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius snorted with laughter. “McGonagall trusts me to tutor third years? Wow, I must be different, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> the Prefect as far as I’m concerned.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a point. What am </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> supposed to be like? To you, I mean.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>wonderful,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Scorpius said reverently. “Everyone likes you, you even make teachers laugh. You’re the best in our year at almost every subject and you’ll definitely be picked to be Head Boy, although don’t tell Cole I said that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I expect this is a bit of a disappointment then,” Albus said with a laugh, gesturing down at himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No?” Scorpius looked confused. “I told you earlier, you don’t seem any different to me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus didn’t have a response for that but Scorpius didn’t seem to be waiting for one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So will you help me? Turn everyone back to normal?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius looked hesitant. “Will I remember anything?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll remember who you really are again.” Albus reached for his hand. “And I like that Scorpius, a lot. I just hope… that you’ll still like me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Albus, I can’t imagine ever not liking you.” He started to lean in then pulled back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just thought, well, do you mind me kissing you? If you don’t think I’m your boyfriend. You don’t remember the same established behaviour as me, I don’t know if I have your consent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus smiled at his thoughtful best friend. “You can kiss me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Scorpius did, but only lightly, just pressing his lips softly to Albus’ and pulling away with a sweet smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, what do we need to do?” </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>That was how Albus ended up cosied up in the corner of the Slytherin common room with Scorpius, hatching a plan together to get everyone to drink something with fluxweed in it. Albus had one of a stack of Herbology textbooks open to a page about fluxweed and Scorpius had successfully stolen a copy of the ball plans from Cole’s trunk while he was at lunch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Says here fluxweed flowers in July,” Albus read aloud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He very much enjoyed the fact that Scorpius had his legs draped over Albus’ lap where they sat squashed together on a large armchair. Scorpius had been very conscious all of a sudden that he didn’t know how much Albus liked to be touched or what his boundaries tended to be and that he’d been overstepping all day but Albus had assured him he didn’t mind this one bit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Flowers, you say? Hold on.” Scorpius flicked through the stolen notebook feverishly. “I’m sure I remember Cole mentioning that… aha!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opened it to a page with pictures cut out of a magazine of coloured, crystal glasses in soft green and blue and pink, each filled with some kind of shimmering beverage with purple and yellow flowers floating in the top of each glass. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are these?” Albus peered at the page.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s putting edible flowers in the drinks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh!” Albus understood him at once. “That’s almost too perfect. We slip a load of fluxweed flowers into the drinks and everyone takes it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus,” Scorpus said in a concerned voice, “does Fluxweed do anything </span>
  <em>
    <span>else?</span>
  </em>
  <span> It’s just, I’m very aware that putting something in people’s drinks without their consent is a bit… well, you know.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, I thought the same thing. Listen to this.” He ran his finger down the open page in front of him. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fluxweed works as a single ingredient antidote meaning it can be used independently to counteract the effects of several ingredients (see figure 3 for full list) however, it can be used to enhance the power of other ingredients, hence its appearance in several potion recipes.</span>
  </em>
  <span> And then this part: </span>
  <em>
    <span>fluxweed blooms are edible and are the traditional garnish to the custard based dessert Mrs Tarnish’s Tart.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius smiled widely. “That’s almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>too </span>
  </em>
  <span>perfect!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly,” Albus said excitedly. “It’ll counteract the gurdyroot in the tea and put everyone back to normal but won’t do any harm to anyone who </span>
  <em>
    <span>hasn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> had the tea. Although I think that might just be me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So where do we get hold of some fluxweed flowers?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The one in Greenhouse Three isn’t flowering but they grow near the far entrance to the Forbidden Forest, I’m pretty sure,” Albus said, thinking hard. “I wonder if I could slip out of Care of Magical Creatures without anyone noticing and pick some.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could use the invisibility cloak?” Scorpius suggested offhandedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus felt his eyebrows shoot up. “I have the cloak?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you do, locked in your trunk so Lily can’t steal it. Again,” he added with a sigh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“James owns it in the world I’m used to, although it’s easy to borrow without him noticing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well here it’s yours,” Scorpius said happily. “In fact, we used it together just the other night to sneak up the astronomy tower after curfew.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to see this to believe it.” Albus gently removed Scorpius’ legs from his lap and lead him to their dorm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Excitedly, he unlocked his trunk and rooted around a little bit. There, in amongst his favourite jumpers, was the silvery invisibility cloak, folded into a neat square like that was where it was used to being. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Things are getting weirder. How did this cloak get from James’ dorm to mine?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe because it’s always been there,” Scorpius muttered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that?” Albus paused before taking the cloak out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, um, maybe James thought he was only borrowing it and returned it this morning when he woke up with his altered personality,” Scorpius said quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus didn’t push it but he felt like he was simply being humoured. And if he was being fair, despite his attempt at explaining and Scorpius’ apparent acceptance of the situation, he was aware he still sounded rather ridiculous. But Scorpius would see, when he took the counter ingredient. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, you can create a small distraction in Care of Magical Creatures while I put the cloak on and I’ll sneak away to pick the fluxweed and make it back before anyone realises I’m gone.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great plan, Albus.” Scorpius sat on the top of his bed and looked around the empty dorm. He smiled suggestively then jerked his head to one side, inviting Albus over to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>WIthout hesitation, Albus put the cloak down and went to sit next to him. But before he could sit down, Scorpius gasped and slapped his palm to his forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, too boyfriend-y, I don’t want to push it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay,” Albus said quietly, sinking down onto the bed beside him. “I like you being boyfriend-y.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well in that case…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius reached up and tucked a strand of Albus’ hair behind his ear, letting his hand trail gently down his cheekbone and leaving only a whisper of a touch all the way to his throat. Albus could hear his own heart beating as Scorpius leaned in, pressing the softest of kisses to his mouth, his familiar scent overpowering Albus’ senses. He closed his eyes as Scorpius deepened their kiss, working his lips against Albus’ with varying pressure, his other hand coming to rest at the small of Albus’ back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus had never properly kissed someone before but it was clear this Scorpius knew what he was doing and was happy to take the lead. He tugged Albus a few inches closer and kissed him harder, tilting his head to one side and Albus mirrored his angle, marvelling at the feel of Scorpius fingertips playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. He experimented by putting an arm around Scorpius’ shoulders, looping his elbow at the crook of Scorpius’ neck and allowing his fingertips to wander up into Scorpius’ hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The action brought them closer together, their torsos pressed up against each other as they continued kissing and Albus was beginning to feel what he could only describe as lightheaded the more it went on. This was something; this was everything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naturally, they pulled apart, staying wrapped up in each other on the top of Scorpius’ bedclothes and Albus opened his eyes to see Scorpius smiling brightly, clearly very pleased with himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I show you something? I think you might find it interesting. I showed you once before but… well, you don’t remember.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus nodded eagerly and Scorpius grinned and delved under his pillow, from which he pulled a smart, leather bound notebook. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is my diary,” he explained simply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus felt his insides melt. </span>
  <em>
    <span>His</span>
  </em>
  <span> Scorpius kept a diary, he filled it with pages of his perfect handwriting and Albus had seen him save pieces of parchment and interesting leaves and things to stick into the pages. He wasn’t overly secretive about it and would fill it in when they were sat together sometimes- he didn’t need to be secretive, they both knew it was his personal space - but he kept it under his pillow too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Scorpius interrupted his thoughts. “Don’t laugh at my diary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise I’m not.” Albus hoped he sounded as sincere as he felt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s something they had us do at Quidditch camp, to do with goal setting and personal growth, and it really resonated with me and I’ve kept one ever since. I forget to write in it some days though.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you want to show me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, hold on.” Scorpius opened the diary with the teal ribbon marking his place and flicked backwards quite far, his eyes fixed on the top corner of the page. He stopped at a certain point and scanned his eyes down, nodding as he did. “Yes, this’ll do. Look.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held the open page towards Albus but when Albus reached for the diary, Scorpius shook his head and just gestured for Albus to read the page he was holding out. Albus nodded in understanding and his eyes fell to Scorpius’ handwriting. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Albus was almost late to Charms this morning because he overslept. He looked adorable with his tie undone and he had his hair cut at the weekend and it looks amazing, in fact I think he caught me staring at him, but he didn’t seem to mind even though I probably looked like a bit of a weirdo. Albus would never make me feel bad though. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt his whole expression soften and he looked up at Scorpius tenderly. He had a small smile on his face and he took the diary back, flicking the pages some more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s, er, about you quite a lot.” He offered a new page.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Albus wasn’t feeling very well after dinner tonight, I think he’s overworked himself this week. I got him some pepperup and stayed with him in the dorm instead of going to Cole’s Exploding Snap tournament in the room of requirement. Cole will probably be a bit annoyed tomorrow but I couldn’t leave Albus all by himself when he wasn’t even feeling well. He fell asleep but I still stayed in case he woke up and needed something. How he hasn’t worked out I fancy him yet I’ll never know.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you really?” Albus said softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius nodded shyly. “I had a ridiculously huge crush on you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did, er, notice you staring at me, by the way.” He pointed at the diary. “In class, when I’d had my hair cut.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You remember that?” Scorpius looked a bit stunned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose that really happened,” Albus said with a shrug. “I didn’t think it was because you fancied me, though.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, it definitely was.” Scorpius grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you came to the hospital wing with me and waited, last night, when I had the flu. You checked there was nothing I needed and stayed with me and…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus felt an ache within him. He missed the world he was used to: his friends, his siblings, his Scorpius. This world didn’t feel like where he belonged and no amount of snogging would change that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted things to go back to normal.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The plan was in place and Albus had the invisibility cloak folded up into a square and shoved up his school shirt. The lesson took place entirely outside, not too far from the edge of the forest, and Scorpius was going to draw enough attention away that Albus could hurl the cloak over himself and slip away to find the fluxweed. They weren’t entirely sure where it was but according to </span>
  <em>
    <span>1000 Magical Herbs and Funghi</span>
  </em>
  <span> the plant favoured open spaces and direct sunlight so Albus was confident he wouldn’t have to venture too far into the forest to find some. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With exams over for the year, their lessons were far more relaxed and the fifth years were in the middle of creating their own ideal creature environments with appropriate food sources, shelter and conditions for the animal they had been assigned. Albus was usually in a trio with Scorpius and Cole and they had been given a baby hippogriff to create an environment for (Scorpius was most disappointed they weren’t going to be caring for an actual baby Hippogriff for the entirety of the project) and that didn’t seem to have changed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As usual, they had Care of Magical Creatures with fifth years from all four houses who had chosen the subject. Polly immediately made a beeline for Albus once Professor Hagrid had set them off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albie,” Polly whispered as she got closer, “I need your help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With… your project?” Albus asked hopefully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” She looked over her shoulder in concern then back to him. “With Karl.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus gulped. Not only was he supremely unqualified to be handing out relationship advice (to anyone, let alone these versions of people he didn’t even really know) but he also needed to get the cloak on and go and pick the fluxweed flowers. He didn’t hugely want to get into whatever this was with Polly right now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Er, what’s up?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Polly sighed. “It’s just… he’s barely spoken to me all day, since he asked me to go with him to the ball. He left the table at lunch as soon as I got there and it feels a bit like he’s avoiding me now. It’s like I’ve done something wrong and upset him but I can’t think what it might be. You’re mates with him, do you think you could subtly ask what’s wrong?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius was hovering and Albus could tell he was listening in (Cole had already started sculpting moss into a bed for the baby Hippogriff, throwing nasty looks at the two of them for not helping). He caught Albus’ eye with an urgent, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what are you doing </span>
  </em>
  <span>expression. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus could have just assured Polly he’d talk to Karl later to shake her off so he could put the cloak on, but instead he found himself saying something entirely different.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It sounds to me like it’s Karl’s problem, not yours.” He shrugged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Polly looked nonplussed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He asks you to the ball and then gives you the cold shoulder as soon as you say yes? That doesn’t sound like something that’s your fault, Polly.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But he must have a good reason! I’m worried something’s really wrong with him.” She bit her lip and folded her arms across her body, looking off into the distance where Karl was holding a large branch and laughing animatedly with Ava Moon from Slytherin (no doubt one of his other three ball dates). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He, er, looks okay, don’t you think?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both watched as Karl lightly touched Ava’s arm and she giggled and ruffled his hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He did ask me, Albus, I swear!” She was staring at the two of them with an unreadable expression on her face and then suddenly her eyes widened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus followed her gaze and immediately saw why. Betty Bell from Gryffindor was stalking over to Karl and Ava with a murderous expression on her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Back </span>
  <em>
    <span>off</span>
  </em>
  <span> my boyfriend!” she said, swiping Ava’s hand away from Karl’s shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” Ava squared up to her (despite being several inches shorter) and glared. “Karl is </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> date to the Ball! He isn’t your </span>
  <em>
    <span>boyfriend.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus heard Polly gasp beside him and he almost didn’t want to look, knowing she would be crushed to have heard that. She put her head down and started furiously scribbling notes on her parchment, despite the rest of the class paying full attention to the developing argument between Ava and Betty. Karl himself looked equal parts amused and wary as he slunk away from the altercation between the two girls, which Albus personally thought he had no right to do considering he had caused it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wasn’t entirely sure whether he ought to do something and was considering what that might be when Scorpius nudged him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go!” he hissed furiously. “No one’s looking, go!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus nodded and took a few steps back, making sure everyone still had eyes on the girls before he pulled the cloak out and quickly threw it over himself. He took one last look at the scene and sighed heavily, unable to shake a feeling of responsibility for the whole thing, although he wasn’t sure what he could have done. The Albus in this world who was endlessly popular and talented would probably have known what to do but sadly, that wasn’t who he was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He amusedly considered taking a quick swig of Moonbow Magenta so that he could become that Albus, but then they’d never get out of this mess. In fact, the best thing he could do to help in that moment was to find the fluxweed flowers and get everyone to drink them as soon as possible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Straining his ears in case anyone was nearby, Albus hurried to the forest edge as quickly as he could. He’d memorised the picture of flowering fluxweed from the textbook and knew what he was looking for, he just hoped it would be relatively easy to find. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost fatefully, Albus looked up and immediately saw what he was looking for. A whole sprawling mass of pink and purple flowers and trailing vines and endless blooms. Albus could hardly believe his eyes; it looks pretty much identical to the textbook picture. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thanking whoever designed Hogwarts school trousers with such deep pockets, Albus picked as many as he could. He felt momentarily guilty for removing so many of the flowers from their home, but it was for the good of everyone at school and they’d grow back eventually, he told himself firmly, wondering when he’d turned into Lily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus was rather apprehensive about what sort of scene he was going to return to when he got back to the lesson. He ducked behind a tree, pulled the cloak off and grabbed a random handful of mulch from the tree roots, holding it out in front of him as he rejoined the other fifth years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Found some!” he said as convincingly as he could, depositing the mulch onto the floor near their Hippogriff environment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius grinned and nudged him in the side. “Well done, love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you get that for?” Cole looked from the mulch to Albus incredulously. He was furiously weaving dried reeds together into a sort of umbrella shape that Albus couldn’t remember putting on the design at any point. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just… the base of that tree,” Albus told him vaguely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was an eerie sort of calm throughout the class, everyone quite pointedly fixed on various tasks with their environments. Betty’s eyes were distinctly red rimmed but Albus was surprised to see her working with Ava to fill a small pond with water from their wands, both of them chatting away amicably. Karl was near the edge of the pumpkin patch, looking distinctly red faced and grumpy as he wrestled with an unwieldy looking snargaluff stump. Polly was hovering nervously beside him, attempting to help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did I miss?” Albus whispered to Scorpius, who was carefully planting rows of little succulents around the edge of the Hippogriff’s bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thrust one of the baskets of plants into Albus’ hand and grinned. “Sit with me to do this and I’ll fill you in.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus was cross legged next to his decoy pile of mulch with a trowel in one hand and a succulent in the other, waiting for Scorpius to explain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So shortly after you left, Ava and Betty realised Karl had asked them </span>
  <em>
    <span>both</span>
  </em>
  <span> to the ball and that it was him they should have been mad at instead of each other. They both dumped him and Ava joined Betty’s group so Karl is finishing their environment by himself and Betty and Ava are going to the ball together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that is what he deserves,” Albus said simply. “Is Polly okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She didn’t say anything, just sort of kept out of it. I think Betty and Ava think they’ve left Karl dateless and he didn’t correct them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s because he’s asked someone in Ravenclaw too,” Albus said with a weary sigh. “He wanted </span>
  <em>
    <span>a date from each house,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>he said in a disparaging tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gross,” Scorpius agreed. “So now he has both a girl in Ravenclaw and Polly thinking they’re his only date?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Surely Polly won’t want to go with him now she knows he asked at least two other girls?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Granted, Albus had only known this version of Polly for half a day but it seemed illogical to him that anyone would knowingly want to go to the ball with </span>
  <em>
    <span>King Karl.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, doesn’t she really like him?” Scorpius cleared his throat. “Sort of, well, desperately so. No offence, I know she’s your friend, but she kind of does.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should I talk to her, do you think?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think you’ll convince her to break it off with him.” Scorpius shrugged. “Anyway, never mind that for now. Did you get the flowers?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus reached into his pocket with a grin and pulled out a handful of flowers to show Scorpius.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the way back up to the castle, Albus let himself fall into step with Polly, still not entirely sure what he was going to say but ready to give it a good go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” he started uncertainly. “You okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why wouldn’t I be?” she said, her eyes just a little bit too bright.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Polly, I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what if he asked some other girls?” Polly forced a laugh. “That’s just Karl, isn’t it. The important thing is that he asked </span>
  <em>
    <span>me.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“But doesn’t it bother you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope,” Polly said pointedly. “It’s fine.” She hurried away from him up the corridor. “Hey, Karl, wait for me!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus sighed in defeat as he watched Karl sling an arm around her shoulders and swagger into the Great Hall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At least you tried,” Scorpius said sympathetically, putting his arm around Albus’ waist and kissing his cheek. “Maybe she needs to see it on her own.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want her to end up hurt,” Albus said, surprising himself by how genuinely he meant it. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Dinner had been brought forward by an hour that evening so that the Great Hall could be transformed into the location for the fifth year Summer Ball and so that the fifth years all had time to get ready. It was the part Albus was least looking forward to; he felt self conscious in anything showy like dress robes, even though his mum had taken him shopping for a nice, plain black pair that fit him well and he didn’t mind wearing. Although that feeling subsided a bit when he thought about the fact that Scorpius was his date. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius was only picking at his lasagne. “I’m too excited to eat,” he admitted softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karl still had his arm around Polly and she was sipping delicately at a goblet of pumpkin juice, laughing at everything he said while Rose regaled them all with tales of all the new mobile phone text slang she’d learned in Muggle Studies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And then you type O M G and that stands for omigod,” she finished breathlessly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Omigod</span>
  </em>
  <span> is already muggle?” Cole questioned in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lol,” Rose said, then laughed to herself. “That means </span>
  <em>
    <span>laugh out loud.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t you just… laugh out loud?” Cole said with a snort. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted quite abruptly by a visitor to the table who made themselves known instantly by promptly emptying the contents of a glass of pumpkin juice over Karl’s head. Polly, who was sat right next to him, shrieked as it splashed onto her, but Karl just nodded in acceptance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ava and Betty told me you asked them to the ball too, you’re pathetic, Karl.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Sophia Barclay, in their year but in Ravenclaw, triumphantly holding her now empty goblet as she smirked at Karl, who sighed deeply and attempted to shake some of the pumpkin juice from his dripping hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have fun going </span>
  <em>
    <span>by yourself,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she said, turning on her heel and flouncing away, her brown bob swishing as she walked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Karl! You didn’t?” Rose stared agog between Sophia’s retreating figure and Karl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karl snorted with laughter, stealing her napkin to mop at his eyebrows. “I had the most dates out of anyone, I win.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, does that mean Sophia needs a partner?” Rose said excitedly, her eyebrows knitting together in thought. “I’ll be right back.” She got up from the table with an eager grin and hurried off in the direction Sophia had left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that was fun,” Karl said dismissively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone, including Polly, was staring at him, appalled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was it?” Albus said incredulously. “For who?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t mind, do you, Polly,” he said commandingly, wrapping his arm tighter around her. “I’m left with the best one anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Polly giggled nervously. “Of course not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great, well, I suppose I need a shower. Bye, all.” Karl roughly removed his arm and got up from the table, waving to them and striding towards the doors of the Great Hall. Quite a few people were watching him leave, pumpkin juice still dripping from his robes, a lot of them sniggering behind their hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know you don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>have </span>
  </em>
  <span>to go with him, Polly,” Scorpius said, the second Karl left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus knew he’d been thinking it all afternoon but the Scorpius he knew would never have said it so bluntly like that. It was interesting to see him so lacking in anxiety over his words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I want to, and none of you understand!” She pushed her seat back with a loud scrape and left the table too in a flustered rush. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh dear,” Albus said in the awkward silence her departure had left behind. “Why do I get the feeling this isn’t going to end well?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merlin, I hope you’re right about this tea, Albus,” Scorpius said, shaking his head in despair. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>With less than an hour to go until the ball started, Albus was starting to get nervous about the fluxweed plan, and whether he’d be able to slip it into the punch, and what would happen as people started to drink it. He and Scorpius had already considered that it would be somewhat chaotic in the short window of time between the first and last person to drink it but that they would focus their efforts on getting as many people to drink it as possible to minimise this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus, I’ve just thought, do your dress robes have pockets for the flowers?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, of course they do?” Albus said, remembering digging his hands deep into his pockets in front of the mirror in the shop when he was trying them on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure? Mine don’t.” Scorpius crossed the dormitory to the wardrobe where Albus knew their dress robes were hanging. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yours are those fancy French ones, though,” Albus said with a laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re the same brand as yours?” Scorpius said defensively, removing a robe covering on a hanger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled it off with a flourish revealing a set of well tailored dress robes in a soft shade of </span>
  <em>
    <span>pink.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Albus stared at them, stunned. Where had those come from? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, see, you don’t have any pockets,” Scorpius said, playing with the folds of fabric at one side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Those aren’t mine!” Albus spluttered. “Mine are plain black and they don’t have a… cape on the back?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius frowned and then he giggled. “Oh! You see, </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> Albus had these robes designed specially for the ball because he knows that everyone will be looking forward to seeing what he’s going to wear after the interview he gave </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wizarding Style</span>
  </em>
  <span> last year.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not wearing them.” Albus folded his arms stubbornly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please?” Scorpius lay the robes carefully on the bed and sidled up to him. “You look amazing in them,” he whispered into Albus’ ear, making him shiver. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What colour are yours?” Albus asked uncertainly. “I don’t want to turn up in pink if everyone else is in dark colours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They </span>
  <em>
    <span>won’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> be, it’s the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Summer </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ball,” Scorpius said, going back to the wardrobe and removing another hanger. “Mine are lavender, pastel suits my hair, or so my dad says.” He undid the covering and showed Albus a set of robes in a very subtle, light purple. “See, we coordinate without matching exactly.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know about this, Scorpius.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please? I’ve been so looking forward to this.” He looked so genuine and innocent, so like the real Scorpius, that Albus knew he wouldn’t be able to say no. “I won’t force you, but will you at least try them on? I want you to see how great you look in them.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, but if I look silly I’m charming them black.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Entirely valid,” Scorpius agreed, starting to unbutton the robes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grumbled and complained the whole time he was putting them on, the stupid cape part almost tripping him up as he did up the ludicrous amount of tiny buttons down the side. Once it was fastened, the cape only fell to his waist, artistically gathered at one shoulder. He still wasn’t at all sure about this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, imagine this with your hair done too,” Scorpius said, blocking his access to the full length mirror.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong with my hair?” Albus asked, running his hand through the front. He’d just washed it and it was almost dry in the usual, untameable mess he wore it in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Trust me.” Scorpius was looking at him strangely, his eyes bright. “Ready to see how you look?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In pink dress robes? As I’ll ever be.” Albus scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius took a dramatic step to the side so the mirror was visible and clasped his hands to his chest gleefully. Albus allowed his eyes to slide over to his reflection and he prepared himself for the worst. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you think?” Scorpius asked, beaming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus looked at himself in the robes, in the mirror and then down at his own body. He extended one arm out and wiggled his fingers, admiring the way the pink shade sat against his tanned wrist. He smoothed his hands over the folds of fabric covering his torso and turned to the side, feeling the slight swish of the cape behind him. They fitted him well, he had to admit. And, in fact, if he was being honest with himself… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I look quite good,” he admitted sheepishly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep,” Scorpius said with a satisfied nod. “Told you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never worn pink in my life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What an excellent day to start,” Scorpius said excitedly. “Will you let me do your hair, too?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus threw his hands up in defeat and laughed. “Sure, do whatever you want, apparently you have a much better eye than I do.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have an idea for the flowers too,” Scorpius explained, rubbing hair potion between his hands. “I think we can turn that cape into a pocket with a bit of an undetectable extension charm on the lining. Hold still.” He ran his hands through Albus’ hair, sculpting it into an organised shape then stood back, smiling. “There, you look perfect.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Says you,” Albus couldn’t help but reply. Scorpius’ lavender robes suited him in a way that made it look like they were what he was always supposed to wear. He was utterly angelic in the way he held himself in them, the soft blush of his porcelain cheeks setting his blond hair off beautifully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We make quite the pair,” Scorpius replied, looping his arm through Albus’. “Now, we have a ball to get to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Entrance Hall was a bustling crowd of colourful dress robed fifth years; Scorpius had been right when he said hardly anyone was wearing black. Pastels and brights dominated the scene and everywhere Albus looked there were shining eyes and bright smiles and the flash of jewellery. Friends greeted each other and everyone was admiring the large, floral decorations adorning the doors to the Great Hall. Nobody knew that Albus’ cape was full of fluxweed flowers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’d left Cole and Thea behind in the common room locked in an embrace that can’t have been comfortable and Albus scanned around for the rest of their friends. Rose and Sophia were laughing together at something with Polly, who spotted Albus at once.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well look at you two!” she said excitedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was wearing a chiffon dress in a mint green shade, the top adorned with lace and there were daisies woven prettily into her hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look lovely, Polly,” Albus said honestly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look what Karl got me!” She stuck her arm out to proudly show off the corsage around her wrist, made of what looked like deep blue orchids. “Isn’t it beautiful! He left it on my pillow as a surprise. I think he got it to match his robes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are his robes blue?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Polly tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I don’t know, I haven’t seen him yet. He’s meeting me out here so we can walk in together. But isn’t this lovely? Oh look, I want to show it to Thea.” She skipped off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was uncharacteristically caring of him,” Scorpius mused. “Does he have another three of those waiting somewhere?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus snorted and linked arms with Scorpius again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d expected to feel at least a bit self conscious about the pink robes now he was out here in front of everyone but surprisingly, he didn’t at all. People were smiling and waving and giving him compliments and he actually found himself </span>
  <em>
    <span>believing</span>
  </em>
  <span> them. He felt good, in his nice robes with his hair done and Scorpius on his arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus quickly reminded himself he had a very important job to do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They made sure they were one of the first couples to enter the Great Hall so they could scope out the drinks table as quickly as possible but Albus was temporarily stunned as they stepped inside. It was almost unrecognisable as the usual Great Hall (and that was already pretty spectacular) with every surface and corner filled with summer blooms. There were hanging bouquets of flowers and an arrangement of what looked like one of Hagrid’s wooden wheelbarrows filled with colourful blossoms which edged a stage in the place where the teachers’ table usually sat. The enchanted ceiling shone a bright blue, fluffy cloud scattered sky down over everything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus felt like the brightness had all been turned up. Everything seemed to sparkle in an almost ethereal manner and he exchanged a look with Scorpius who looked elated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s stunning,” he whispered. “It’s perfect.” Scorpius shook his head. “Right, let’s do this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the end, Albus’ flouncy cape thing made the perfect cover for Scorpius to deposit the fluxweed flowers into the large ornamental basket (they vanished the edible flowers Cole had ready to go) to the side of the punch bowl, next to a whole table full of crystal glasses. It wasn’t noticeable that they’d tampered with the table at all, things were going smoothly to plan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mission successful, now,” Scorpius held a hand out elegantly, “we dance.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus chuckled and accepted his hand, Scorpius leading him to the dancefloor with everyone else. And suddenly, Albus’ favourite song was playing and Scorpius was twirling exuberantly about with him. They danced and danced, more than Albus ever remembered planning to do. It was lovely here with Scorpius.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dancefloor made him strangely euphoric, giddy almost. Scorpius was glowing. He looked the best of everyone in the room, Albus thought to himself. His lavender robes were exquisite. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was something about this dancefloor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Polly?” Albus asked when he noticed she was absent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wherever Karl is,” Scorpius snorted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A quick scan around showed Albus that neither Polly nor Karl were in the Great Hall but instead his eyes fell on a figure across the dancefloor wearing robes of deep blue. A sinking feeling crept over him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be right back,” he said to Scorpius, patting his arm and weaving his way through the dancefloor to the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus stepped out into the now empty Entrance Hall with everyone inside the Great Hall. Empty except for one solitary figure sat dejectedly on the staircase. A solitary figure in a mint green dress with an orchid corsage on her wrist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked up at the sound of the door and sighed, her eyes red. Albus wasn’t sure what to say so he crossed the Entrance Hall and sat down next to her in silence. They stayed like that for a few minutes until Polly let out a loud sob and fell against Albus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albie, he didn’t turn up,” she wailed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus put his arm around her and held her to him in what he hoped was a comforting hug. There wasn’t much he could say, it didn’t come as much of a shock that Karl had let Polly down, but the least he could do was turn up to the ball. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s a bit of an arsehole, isn’t he,” Albus said with a chuckle. “I’m sorry, Polly.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sniffed and sat up straight, extending her arm out in front of her where her corsage sat. “Why did he bother getting me this if he wasn’t even going to turn up?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said you found it on your pillow?” Albus asked and Polly nodded sadly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, with my name on. It said </span>
  <em>
    <span>for Polly, the belle of the ball.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus frowned. “Did it say it was from Karl?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, no, but who else would…” She trailed off, realisation dawning on her. “Oh. Albus, what colour robes is Yann wearing?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus grinned and stood up, holding his arm out to her. “Come on, I’ll walk you in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Inside, Cole was marching around with a clipboard, bossily demanding things of people. He checked his watch and blanched. “The edible flowers should have been added to the punch three minutes ago, come </span>
  <em>
    <span>on</span>
  </em>
  <span>, committee.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus and Scorpius grinned at each other. Everything was going to plan. In a minute, Professor McGonagall would make a speech for them for all the fifth years and they would all toast with glasses of punch unknowingly filled with fluxweed flowers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus,” Scorpius said suddenly, tugging him to one side urgently, “I just want to say, whatever happens after this, my feelings for you are very very real. You understand that, right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-” Albus didn’t really know what he wanted to say. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A pause fell between them and then, like it was a part of their meticulous plan, they both moved in and kissed softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They pulled apart when the ringing sound of a spoon being tapped against a crystal glass cut through the room, indicating McGonagall was about to start her speech. Near the drinks table, Cole was furiously overseeing his committee handing a glass to everyone and suddenly someone thrust one into Albus’ hand. He looked from the floating fluxweed flower and back up at Scorpius, his eyes shining as Professor McGonagall spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus only took in snatches of what she was saying, about their achievements throughout the year and how proud she was and something about being on a journey. He was too nervous about what was going to happen as everyone in the room held their fluxweed filled glasses and listened to the speech.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So I extend my deepest congratulations to you all. Please join me in raising a glass.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone did, the rims of their glasses glinting in the enchanted sunlight and then applause broke out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here we go,” Albus said, tapping his glass against Scorpius’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius smiled and took a large gulp, standing very still for a second.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you feel?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius cocked his head in thought then took another sip. “I don’t feel any different.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eat one,” Albus said quickly, fishing one of the flowers from his own glass and offering it to Scorpius. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius accepted and chewed the flower, swallowing it down with a bit of a shudder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You remember everything now, don’t you,” Albus said. “And we’re at the ball </span>
  <em>
    <span>together, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but Scor, I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus, I feel exactly the same,” Scorpius said grinning. “Look around.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone in the Great Hall was finishing their drinks but nobody looked lost or confused, there was no horror from Thea when she realised she was nibbling Cole’s earlobe, Cole didn’t look vaguely confused about why he was holding a clipboard. Polly and Yann were shyly dancing together just as they had been before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I knew it! There never was anything wrong with the tea, this is who you’ve always been!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus felt his blood run cold. “No, Scor, I’m telling you, this isn’t right, none of it is!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve forgotten some things, and that’s okay, Albus. You really pushed yourself during OWLs, I’m sure Madam Pomfrey can give you something to make you remember. A potion or-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, Madam Pomfrey </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> give me a potion! Last night, when I was ill, that’s why I missed dinner, and I had the flu, and it made me so sleepy. So sleepy, Scorpius. Oh, is that what’s wrong with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing’s wrong with you, look at you in your pink robes, you’re a marvel.” Scorpius’ voice sounded strangely echoey. “Dance with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gently took Albus’ hand and pulled him to the dance floor, but it was like walking on a fluffy cloud, and everything was so shiny and sparkly. So many flowers. His robes were </span>
  <em>
    <span>pink</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Music played, his favourite song. It must be. Scorpius was smiling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And now they were near the stage, just in time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s you, Albus! You’re singing for us, remember?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And hands were pushing him towards the stage and Albus finally realised what everyone had been talking about when they asked him if he was nervous all day and there was a magical microphone in his hands and everyone was looking at him and he didn’t even know the words to this song. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But that didn’t matter, he could just make the words up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Scorpius was smiling at him so widely. Merlin, he was cute. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the music swelled and dropped and Albus knew it was time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sang the words to himself, suddenly becoming vaguely aware of something soft behind his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was he lying down? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was blinking with more and more frequency until his eyes opened. Had they been closed?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you’re waking up!” a soft voiced person closed the book they’d been reading and approached his bedside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scor?” Albus pushed himself up in the bed so he was sitting upright.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How are you feeling?” Scorpius pressed the back of his hand to Albus’ forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus reached up and gently took hold of his hand, removing it from his forehead and letting it fall between them but not letting go. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus?” Scorpius eyed their hands uncertainly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold on a second,” Albus said, looking at Scorpius evenly. “I need to ask you something.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ask me,” Scorpius whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can… Can I kiss you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius blinked, expressionless. And then a smile spread over his face and he nodded shyly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus leaned over and gently took hold of the back of Scorpius’ head, angling his face towards him and softly kissing his lips, just for a second, but he could feel Scorpius smiling against his mouth. He pulled away and seemed to come to his senses all of a sudden. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did he just </span>
  <em>
    <span>kiss</span>
  </em>
  <span> Scorpius? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pressed a surprised hand to his lips and gasped as the tumultuous truth crashed down around him with disastrous force. It had been a dream, all of it had, and now he’d ruined everything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scorpius, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that, I was still half asleep and I had this </span>
  <em>
    <span>dream </span>
  </em>
  <span>and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Albus,” Scorpius cut him off, “it’s okay. I liked it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was grinning broadly, his cheeks pink, and Albus felt slightly less like he wanted to dissolve into nothingness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius nodded shyly. “I’ve sort of wanted to do that for quite a while.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Albus replayed his words, ensuring he’d definitely understood correctly, but Scorpius’ wide smile spoke for itself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ve sort of wanted to do that for quite a while.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“So have I,” Albus said in a small voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you were going to ask me to the ball,” Scorpius said with a giggle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That too,” Albus said quickly. “Do you want to? I’d like that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius nodded fervently. “Yes please.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great.” Albus couldn’t stop smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lily dropped these off earlier.” He indicated two identical flower crowns, made from buttercups and daisies. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Albus smiled at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So tell me about this dream you had,” Scorpius said with a chuckle, sitting down on the bed. Albus shifted over to make room for him and laughed, wondering where he should begin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The morning sunlight glinted on the lid of the jar of Moonbow Magenta still on Albus’ bedside table as he began to tell Scorpius about his dream, his infectious laugh echoing around the hospital wing as soon as Albus got to the part where Scorpius walked into breakfast with a broomstick. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Puddlemere training camp?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He repeated incredulously. And he listened intently all the way to the end and he gasped when Albus told him about the pink and lavender dress robes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tonight, Albus would wear his plain black robes, nobody would be eagerly awaiting his arrival, but he’d walk in with Scorpius by his side and maybe, just maybe, his head held a little higher than usual.  </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you endlessly to FidgetyWeirdo and violetclarity for hosting scorbus fest again this year and doing such a wonderful job! The vibes have been amazing, I've loved seeing everyone sharing their processes and I cannot wait to read all the wonderful contributions!</p><p>Also thanks to StaircaseScorpius for all the support throughout!</p><p>let me know what you thought! i'd be especially interested to know if anyone saw the ending coming and at what point in the story it started to become obvious :)</p><p>find me on tumblr: littlerose13writes<br/>instagram: littlerose13writes</p></blockquote></div></div>
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